Pressure vessel and door actuator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10851946-B2
Application number	US-201816126145-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 10, 2018
Priority date	Dec 12, 2016
Publication date	Dec 1, 2020
Grant date	Dec 1, 2020

Abstract

A door assembly for a pressure vessel includes a door, a hub to attach to the pressure vessel and to receive the door, and an annular seal to seal between the door and the hub. A hinge arm is coupled to the hub and to the door and is able to pivot relative to the hub about a hinge axis. A door actuator having an elongate member extending along an actuator axis is spaced-apart from the hinge axis and coupled to the hub and to the hinge arm. The elongate member travels with the hinge arm when the arm pivots relative to the hub, and rotates about the actuator axis. The door actuator is configured to cause the seal to engage sealingly the hub and the door.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A pressure vessel door assembly comprising
a door;
a hub configured for attachment on the pressure vessel and configured to receive the door;
an annular seal configured to engage sealingly between the door and the hub;
a hinge arm coupled to the hub and to the door and configured to pivot relative to the hub about a first hinge axis; and
a door actuator having an elongate member extending along an actuator axis spaced-apart from the first hinge axis and coupled to the hub and coupled to the hinge arm, the elongate member configured to travel with the hinge arm when the hinge arm pivots relative to the hub, and configured to rotate about the actuator axis;
wherein the door actuator is configured to cause the seal to engage sealingly the hub and the door;
wherein the door is configured to pivot relative to the hinge arm about a second hinge axis spaced-apart from the first hinge axis and the actuator axis; and
wherein the elongate member extends through the hinge arm and is disposed at a position that is between the first and second hinge axes.

2. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the door actuator further comprises:
a cam arm including a first end coupled to the elongate member and having a latch surface; and
a cam stop extending from the hub and having a shoulder displaced from the hub;
wherein the latch surface is configured to engage the shoulder on the cam stop when the door actuator rotates in a first direction about the actuator axis.

3. The assembly of claim 2 further comprising a pocket between the hub and the shoulder of the cam stop;
wherein a latch member disposed on the cam arm is configured to be disposed in the pocket when the door is received within the hub; and
wherein the pocket length between the shoulder and a hub front face plane is between 10% and 110% greater than the width of the latch member.

4. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the door actuator comprises a lever receiver coupled to the elongate member, the lever receiver configured to receive a lever arm extending radially away from the actuator axis.

5. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the hub includes a radially-inwardly-facing cylindrical surface;
wherein the annular seal is an O-ring;
wherein the door includes a groove extending around the door and receiving the O-ring; and
wherein the O-ring is configured to engage sealingly the groove and the cylindrical surface.

6. A pressure vessel door assembly comprising:
a door;
a hub configured for attachment on the pressure vessel and configured to receive the door;
an annular seal configured to engage sealingly between the door and the hub;
a hinge arm coupled to the hub and to the door and configured to pivot relative to the hub about a first hinge axis;
a door actuator having an elongate member extending along an actuator axis spaced-apart from the first hinge axis and coupled to the hub and coupled to the hinge arm, the elongate member configured to travel with the hinge arm when the hinge arm pivots relative to the hub, and configured to rotate about the actuator axis;
wherein the door actuator is configured to cause the seal to engage sealingly the hub and the door; and
a lock mechanism configured to lock the door within the hub after the door is closed and the seal is engaged sealingly within the hub;
wherein the lock mechanism comprises collapsible-expandable lock ring extending circumferentially about and coupled to a front face of the door; and
wherein the lock mechanism is spaced-apart from the door actuator.

7. A pressure vessel door assembly comprising
a door;
a hub configured for attachment on the pressure vessel and configured to receive the door;
an annular seal configured to engage sealingly between the door and the hub;
a hinge arm rotationally coupled to the hub at a first hinge axis and rotationally coupled to the door at a second hinge axis, wherein the hinge arm comprises a first lever receiver configured to receive a lever arm and to transmit to the hinge arm a torque about the first hinge axis; and
a door actuator having an elongate member extending along an actuator axis spaced-apart from the first and second hinge axes, the elongate member rotationally coupled to the hinge arm at the actuator axis and configured to travel with the hinge arm when the hinge arm pivots relative to the hub;
wherein the door actuator comprises a second lever receiver coupled to the elongate member and configured to receive a lever arm and to transmit to the elongate member a torque about the actuator axis, the door actuator being configured to cause the seal to engage sealingly the hub and the door.

8. The assembly of claim 7 wherein the hub includes a radially-inwardly-facing cylindrical surface;
wherein the annular seal is an O-ring;
wherein the door includes a groove that receives the O-ring; and
wherein the O-ring is configured to engage sealingly the groove and the cylindrical surface.

9. The assembly of claim 7 wherein the door actuator further comprises:
a cam arm coupled to the elongate member and having a latch surface; and
a cam stop extending from the hub and having a shoulder displaced from the hub;
wherein the latch surface is configured to engage the shoulder on the cam stop when the door actuator rotates in a first direction about the actuator axis; and
wherein the cam stop is disposed at a located between the first and second hinge axes when the latch surface engages the shoulder on the cam stop.

10. The assembly of claim 9 further comprising a pocket between the hub and the shoulder of the cam stop;
wherein the cam arm includes a roller, and the latch surface is disposed on the roller; and wherein the cam arm is configured such that the roller is disposed in the pocket when the door is received within the hub, and the door actuator rotates in a first direction about the actuator axis.

Assignees

• Nat Oilwell Varco Lp

Inventors

• Euwer Mark C
• Jansma Barry G
• Do Thomas Tuan-Huy

Classifications

• F16J13/18 Primary

  pivoted directly on the frame · CPC title

• F16K1/2007

  specially adapted operating means therefor (operating means per se F16K31/00) · CPC title

• F16K1/2028

  Details of bearings for the axis of rotation · CPC title

• F16K1/205

  the sealing being arranged on the valve member · CPC title

• F16K35/025

  said actuating element being operated manually (e.g. a push-button located in the valve actuator) · CPC title